Start with the catalog shoppers actually need
A store's information architecture is a merchandising decision. Categories should reflect how customers browse, while filters use reliable product attributes rather than marketing labels. Variants, bundles, compatibility, dimensions, availability, and subscriptions affect both the data model and the interface. We audit the catalog before designing a menu. The goal is to reduce the distance between a need and a suitable product without creating thousands of thin filter URLs for search engines. Internal search, zero-result handling, and product recommendations are planned as part of discovery when the catalog warrants them.